As the Democrats try to recover from a disappointing action in the 2024 elections, the Democratic representative of California, Rue Khanna, is not only taking stock of the sharp defeat last fall, but also taking shots in his own political party.
After seeing the Democrats exchange the nominees and fight to deliver a cohesive message to the voters in the last campaign cycle, Khanna told ABC News in an exclusive interview that believes that an agenda of political reform focused on fighting corruption “is what we should organize in 2026” and regrets the political costs that emerged as a campaign in the campaign in other priorities in other priorities in 2024.
“It was a mistake,” said Khanna, added that “he did not hear any political reform agenda” by President Joe Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris during their respective presidential campaigns. “Trump became the stranger. It was a mistake that we did not have on the issue of reform. Obtaining money and lobbyists out of politics, that should be our mantle.”
Now, Khanna is presenting the Drain the act of swampthat would permanently prohibit White House officials accept gifts of the lobbyists, restoring a biden era mandate that established ethics and lobbying rules for those named in the Administration.
“Anticorruption has to be fundamental to rebuild the democratic brand,” Khanna said, serving in his fifth mandate. “Democrats must be seen as holders of the reform mantle.”
Rep. RO Khanna in El Capitol, December 4, 2024.
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll called Getty Images
Khanna said he considers surprising that one of the first acts of President Donald Trump of his second term was to sign an executive order to cancel the Biden order, creating the impetus to prepare an agenda that points to the rotating door of Washington between the lobbyists and the legislators.
“It is part of a broader sense that the Democrats have to apply with anti -corruption,” Khanna said, complaining that the Democratic Party allowed Trump to “co -opt” the issue of “draining the swamp” of anti -corruption. Khanna said she has cost her party not only two presidential elections in 2016 and 2024, but also the majority control of the Congress.
“We need to be jealous,” Khanna said, explaining his vision of an anti -corruption agenda of five points.
Khanna wants to prohibit former Congress members from pressing Congress, and wants to impose 12 -year mandate limits for members and 18 -year period limits in the judges of the Supreme Court. Khanna says she believes that the free time judges should return to serve in the lower courts after they leave a position in the Superior Court. Khanna also advocates a “code of binding ethics” for the judges of the Supreme Court amid the ethics pressure on the court.
A vision of the United States Supreme Court in Washington, on June 29, 2024.
Kevin Mohatt/Reuters, files
“If the Democrats want to rebuild, begin with antipolytic corruption,” Khanna emphasized, he added that he has received a positive reception of a variety of people such as billionaire Mark Cuban and even republican voters who support their promise to “drain the swamp.”
Khanna also requires a prohibition of the members of Congress and their families by maintaining and exchanging individual actions during the mandate of the member in the position, as well as a prohibition of the members of the Congress and the candidates who are running for the seats of the Chamber or the Senate of the acceptance of the contributions of the Political Action Committees.
As for his own future political interest, be it re -election, the mansion of the governor of California or even the White House in 2028, Khanna maintains his letters nearby, but his options open.
“Red believes that anti -corruption and economic patriotism must be the promoters of the Democratic Party for 2026 and 2028, regardless of who enters the fray or leads the party,” said Sarah Dory, a spokesperson for Khanna, ABC when asked about the political perspectives of the congressman.
However, Khanna’s profile continues to grow as voters face their future options, sometimes even before republican public in Fox News or in Republican districts.
After Trump delivered a joint speech to Congress last week, Khanna went to “Fox News Sunday” and admitted that “it was not a good appearance” since the Democrats protested not only the president, but also rejected the guests to the guests in the first lady’s box.
President Donald Trump speaks during a speech to a joint session of Congress at the United States Capitol in Washington, DC, on March 4, 2025.
Allison Robbert/AFP through Getty Images
“We should have defended the child with cancer. You defend the president of the United States, out of respect for the American people,” Khanna said about the program. “I mean, you defend the firefighter’s widow.”
“The story should have been in President Trump,” Khanna continued. “We should have been talking about Medicaid’s cuts. On the other hand, we are talking about our own behavior. And that is a distraction of us that we left our economic message.”
Khanna will also hold three meetings in the City Council in person during a “benefits of more of the billionaires” on March 23 in the districts controlled by the Republican Party, where his anti -corruption agenda will take the stage along with his progressive good faith.
“It is intelligent to have a clear message,” Khanna told ABC News. “We are the part that will save Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.”
